Wild Force
by Rogue Leader
Summary: Cale Kincaid unexpectedly falls in with Mia Toretto and ends up in her brother's sphere of influence. Mia thinks Cale is immune to Dom and his alluring personality, but what Mia and the rest of the team don't know, is the secret Cale carries...
1. Prologue

**Fandom:** Need for Speed: Most Wanted; Fast and the Furious  
**Rating:** PG-13 for now; Foul Language, Ahoy!

**Author's Notes:** Okay, I'm not thinking of this as a crossover, because dammit, the game is friggin _The Fast and the Furious_ all the way. This is me, smooshing together two franchises in a way they've been unofficially smooshed by their respective owners. It ain't no coincidence that EA Games and NFS are official sponsors of the Formula D, folks. Really it isn't.

**Special Note:** I know absolutely NOTHING about cars outside of how to get in, put the key in the ignition, turn it on and drive from point A to point B without much incident. Therefore, I ask that all things pilfered - and believe me there's quite a bit - whether plausible or not, should be accepted as fact. All nit pickers beware. Roast me and you shall suffer horribly at the hands of a randomly chosen selection of homicidally-minded characters, which belong to Mandi and myself. And trust me when I say we have an interesting cross-section of the scum of the multi-verse to choose from.

----------------------------

"I'm sorry, Force, but you can't race." The expression on Marc Davis's face was one of profound regret as he regarded the young woman before him. "No one wants to call you out or step up to any of your challenges after what Butch said..."

"Butch is a fuckin' liar, Marc. You know that! What he said isn't true!" She was trying hard not to raise her voice, but it was a losing battle.

"I know he's a liar, sweetheart. But I don't have enough pull around here to stop the rumour he's spread about you messing with his ride before that last race. I would move mountains for you if I could, kid. I really would. But this is one mountain that isn't going anywhere."

Wild Force, best female driver of the Rockport Racing scene, threw a punch past Marc's head, hitting the door frame of the Mazda RX-8 behind him. "Dammit, Marc. I can't just leave. I've worked _too_ hard..."

"You've worked too hard and now a vindictive asshole has trashed your rep. You're done, Force. Finished. Rockport is now closed to you as a racer."

"Fuck Rockport! _Everywhere_ is now closed to me! This is the nexus, Marc..."

"I know, kid. I know." Marc shook his head sadly and stepped around her. He walked a few steps away before he turned back to the seething girl. "It may not mean anything to you, but I'm sorry. You're a good kid and a fantastic racer. I'm sorry to lose you like this."

She didn't even glance over her shoulder during Marc's speech. When he had finished, she slid into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut. The RX-8 revved to life and she took off, leaving Rockport behind.

Marc watched the RX-8 as it disappeared around a corner and shook his head. He may have the run of Rockport, but this truly was something he couldn't fix. It was fucked up and it killed him to lose such an up-and-coming kid. He sighs and headed to his own RX-8 and strapped in. Butch was going to have a lot to answer for once it all came down. Marc would make sure of that.


	2. Two Years Later

Two Years Later

Cale Kincaid sat in the hard seat of the lecture hall, reading over her notes. She hated this psych-class with a passion. The other students milled around, conversing softly, but she ignored them. Her mind was elsewhere, like it normally was, speeding down some unseen highway, top down and wind blowing in her hair. She could see the scenery streaking passed her as she raced against time, heading for the sinking sun as it burned the desert in greedy flames. She could hear the purr of the engine as she shifted through the gears, the delicate machinery working to make the car go faster and faster...

She was so deeply entrenched in her daydream, that the slap of a notebook falling on the arm of the seat next to hers startled her badly. The smiling young woman looking down at her winced as Cale met her gaze. The dark-brown, shoulder-length hair framed a classically beautiful, feminine face, the lips of which were quirked up in an awkward smile. While Cale was no ugly duckling, her average features, shorter, lighter-brown hair and eyes made her seem plain in comparison.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," the stranger said. "I just transferred into this class and, you know, you were the only one sitting alone. ...I'm Mia Toretto. Is it okay if I sit here?"

Cale smiled, though she was wincing inwardly. _Bloody hell. Figures Dominic Toretto's sister would single me out._ "Cale Kincaid. And, yeah, sure. Go ahead."

Cale sat up properly as Mia took her seat. She gave Mia a sidelong glance. "Just so you know, this class is boring as hell," she offered. "But if you know how to time it, you can actually get other stuff done while still getting the most out of the class."

Mia laughed. "I've heard rumours that Professor Kerrington's class was a sleeper. Suppose they're true, then."

"Very true. We're actually halfway through the first part of the course. I can lend you my notes, if you want?"

"That," Mia said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, "would be fantastic."

Cale smiled as Kerrington cleared his throat, calling the class to attention. She gave Mia a sly look and prepared to teach her all she knew about survival in Professor Kerrington's Advanced Psychology lectures.

---

Cale had hoped that her acquaintance with Mia would stay within Kerrington's lecture hall, but after two weeks of studying with the woman at the library after class, Mia somehow had the impression that Cale was actually a friend.

"You should come over sometime," Mia asked, out the blue one day. Cale looked up from her scribbling to peer at Mia. Mia didn't notice, as her attention was still on the text in front of her. "It's noisier at my place, but it'd be more fun to study," she continued.

At Cale's continue silence, Mia finally looked up. She grinned at her friend and chuckled. "Okay, so the invitation isn't completely mine. My brother wants to meet the girl responsible for my increased diligence in my studies."

Cale had to smile at that. She knew Dominic Toretto's reputation. Everyone did. While the fact that the man had such a vested interest in his sister's education wasn't surprising by any means, the sentiment seemed incongruous to his image of a hard-ass street racer. Cale shrugged, and gave a non-committal, "Sure, sometime."

Mia's grin widened. "Tonight, then."

"Er, I don't think..."

Mia stopped Cale's protest with a simple shake of her head. "I'm not taking no for an answer. You're expected at my house tonight and you're going to be there." The girl flipped her hair over one shoulder and resumed her perusal of the text.

Cale stared at Mia for a long moment, before resigning herself to the inevitable. With a quiet sigh, she went back to her scribbling. Tonight was going to be interesting, to say the least.


	3. Into the Viper's Nest

Cale managed to talk Mia into letting her head home before going to the Toretto's for the evening. Cale flashed her I.D. at the main gate before driving into cul-de-sac which housed the mansion she grudgingly called home. She guided her Mustang through the property gates and up the drive.

The Campbell mansion resided in one of the small, up-scale communities reserved only for the incredibly wealthy and those in public office. Bryn Campbell just happened to fill both categories, as he headed the pro bono division of one of the largest law firms this side of the country.

It was a world away from the streets where Cale had grown up with her mom, and she hated it.

While her father had tried to dote on her and provide every luxury she could ever want, despite his frequent business trips, Cale had insisted on paying her own way. Unlike her spoiled half-sister, Lynn, Cale had a job at a bookstore in town and was able to provide for nearly ninety-five-percent of her needs. It was always a source of contention between the two girls, since Lynn had no idea what it was like to truly earn something and Cale _didn't_ want to know what it was like to merely have it handed to you, gift-wrapped and tailor-made.

Their father had given up on trying to reconcile the two.

His wife, Nancy – Lynn's mother – disliked Cale as much as Cale disliked her. If there was ever anything in Nancy's world that was wrong, Cale was it, even if Lynn was the one to blame. It was a pure Cinderella story, but Cale refused to play the part.

Cale pushed these thoughts away as she pulled up in front of the house. She had something else to worry about, and it had nothing to do with the people she lived with. As she skipped up the steps and unlocked the door, her mind raced over details that had been banished years ago.

Up the stairs she ran, and headed straight for her room. Once there, she opened the closet. From under a loose floorboard, she pulled out a metal box and tossed it on her bed. The key hung on a nail between the back of the mirror of her vanity and the wall.

"It's all on you, Marc," she said softly, unlocking the box and pulling out the picture that rested on top of her most private possessions. The picture was of her, Marc Davis, and his team, taken only months before the scandal that had changed her life. "I know the legend of Wild Force is whispered throughout the streets of Rockport. Question is, how much of _me_ did you include?"

She replaced picture, box and key in their respective spots and sighed. She'd find out how much truth the legend of Wild Force carried tonight, when she stepped into the centre of L.A.'s street racing ring.

---------

The Toretto's home was a modest, two-story deal. The neighbourhood was distinctly middle-class, and the house reflected it well. She parked her Mustang behind Mia's Integra and grabbed her bag from the backseat. Locking her car, she headed up the walk, apprehensively. The cars of Toretto's crew filled the driveway, and she could hear the music filtering out from an open window.

_Oh, this is just lovely. I have to deal with his team, too..._

Cale didn't have long to wait for Mia to answer the door. Her friend beamed and yanked her inside, slamming the door shut behind her. To say that there was a party going on, would be an understatement. Cale's glance into the family room netted her an eyeful. She couldn't make out the team, as she had never met them, but her eyes did alight on one figure she knew: Dominic Toretto.

_Everyone_ in the race-world knew him. She had seen him once, through the crowd, at one of her very first races. She had watched him compete that night, in awe. The man was good, no doubt, and the way people flocked to him had intrigued her. She had never felt his allure then, and she sure as hell didn't feel it now.

That didn't stop their gazes from locking, however. Thankfully, no flicker of recognition crossed the street-racer's face, as his eyes played over Cale's features. Cale almost sighed in relief. Whatever Marc had said to cover the events that had occurred two years ago, it didn't include Cale. _Score one for that. Now they won't suspect me for trying to fuck them up..._

Cale felt herself flush madly as she realized she was staring at him. Mia came to her rescue, as the girl shoved a cold drink in her hand. Cale blinked and looked down at the bottle of Snapple.

"You okay, Cale?" Mia looked amused.

"Yeah," she replied, shaking it off. "I'm good."

"Mia?" The gruff voice of Dom Toretto interrupted the conversation. Cale turned to take in the man, who was now leaning casually on the doorframe, as if he owned the entire universe. Cale tried not to roll her eyes.

"Dom, this is Cale, my friend from psych-class. Cale, this is my brother, Dom."

The two shook hands, their eyes fixing on each other again. "It's nice to meet you, Dom."

"Likewise," the street racer stated.

Before he could say anything else, Cale turned to Mia. "I brought the rest of the notes you're missing, Mia."

The siblings both gave Cale a curious look, before Mia smiled. "Sure. C'mon upstairs. Less noise and more privacy."

Cale followed Mia up the stairs, sparing a final glance at a bewildered Dom.

_Chew on **that**, race-boy. Not all girls fall at your feet in a puddle of drool, hoping for the privilege of being the one to service you,_ she thought, as she entered the relative quiet of Mia's room.

------

Dom watched Cale head up the stairs. Did she just ignore him in lieu of studying with his sister? He'd never had a girl rebuff him like that before. What the hell did he do wrong? He frowned, staring at the upstairs landing. A snort from someone behind him made him turn and he looked into the amused faces of Leon and Vince.

Vince was grinning. "So, how'd it go?"

Leon gave Vince a look. "Couldn't you tell? She couldn't get enough of him. Had to run upstairs to collect herself, the poor thing. Hey Dom, you want me to go and see if she needs a hand?"

Dom gave his friends his _back the fuck off_ look. It was a look they knew well. The street racer pushed past the slightly cowed duo and headed back into the room. He flopped onto the sofa to watch Jesse play Grand Turismo and almost immediately was accosted by female hands.

"C'mon, Dom. Let's go upstairs and..."

"Piss off, Letty," Dom rumbled softly, pushing her away. "You lost any rights to taking me upstairs a long time ago."

Letty glared at him. "I thought we discussed this."

"We did." Dom turned to look at her. "And we decided that it was over. And by 'we' I mean 'me'."

Letty nodded, miffed. "Ah. So you'd rather hook up with some tramp your sister brought home than take back a good thing."

Dom gave her a long, hard look. "No, Letty. I'd rather hook up with a girl who won't run to another man when the heat comes down," he said quietly before getting up.

Without sparing her another glance he headed upstairs, taking them two at a time. With a final look at Mia's bedroom door, he went into his room and spent the rest of the night thinking about Cale's outright rejection.


	4. Out of the Frying Pan

Mia seemed to like dropping bombshells on Cale when they were studying. It had become the hallmark of their friendship. Two days after being invited over to meet Dom and study, Mia invited Cale over for dinner. Dinner turned out to include just Cale and the Toretto's and no extended-street-racer family. It wasn't as awkward as Cale thought it would be, and she and Mia had gone upstairs after they had cleaned up to crack open the books.

This had become something of a regular occurrence, and Cale spent at least two nights a week studying at Mia's. Dom kept trying to get Cale to come over more often, stating his sister needed more focus on her studies. Cale ignored him.

So it came as a complete shock when, as Cale and her best friend, Mackenzie, Mackenzie's brother, Chris, and their friend Justin, were nosing through books at the library, Mia plopped down in an empty seat next to Chris and invited Cale over for the weekend.

"It'll be great! Just head home after you leave here and grab whatever you need. I mean, you're coming over anyway to study, so you may as well stay the weekend."

It took several minutes before Cale could answer, sharing a look with Justin and Chris. She liked Mia, really she did. But the more time she spent with Mia, the greater her chances of...but no. Cale had determined that she was safe from anything that had to do with her own past in the presence of Dom and his team that first night she had been there. So, after getting _what could it hurt?_ looks from the boys, she found herself smiling and answering, "Sure. Why not?"

------

And so Cale found herself dropping her duffle bag in Mia's room before heading back downstairs for dinner. She almost stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Leon, Vince, Letty and Jesse sitting around the table with Dom and Mia. She rolled with it nicely, however, smiling at them and taking her seat.

Letty didn't look too happy to have her there, and sitting next to Dom, no less. Cale ignored her. It was the only seat left and probably at Dom's insistence. He seemed to dictate enough of their lives that seating arrangements seemed only natural. Despite the visual-daggers being thrown her way, Cale enjoyed that meal. She missed being part of a team this size.

Cale helped Mia clear the table and wash the dishes as the others disappeared into the family room. "So, I figure we should be able to get through the next chapter tonight..."

"Oh, we aren't studying tonight," Mia said, nonchalantly.

"We aren't?" Cale was genuinely puzzled. "Then what...?"

"We're all going out. There's a meet tonight."

Cale nearly dropped the plate she was drying. Of course Mia would go with her brother when he headed off to race. Why wouldn't she?

"Besides," Mia continued. "We'll have all day to study tomorrow."

_Sure we will. We'll study as we all nurse hangovers from the after-race partying. Brilliant..._ Cale smiled weakly. What else could she say, except, "Sounds like fun."


	5. Into the Fire

There was a certain atmosphere one entered into when they stepped into the world of street racing. It was a combination of a rock and roll video combined with the style and panache of hip-hop, fused with an energy level that only comes when all racial barriers are dropped for the scant hours that the community of men and women gathered to share a common love of fast cars and the adrenaline rush of pushing one's self to the very limit of endurance and living to tell about it. It was a shame that real life had to intrude on this utopian haven they had built as polite society shunned the very aspect of the sport.

Cale had to agree that what they did was indeed reckless and endangered lives, but she had to also give them credit for making the effort to pick a time and place when the least amount of collateral damage would result from their illicit activities. If anything bad happened out on the streets, it was pure chance and no one could predict what folks would be out and where. All they knew was that the area they had chosen to secure was theirs for the night, until some civilian, some _outsider_, called the cops and they had to scatter like a school of fish fleeing from a shark.

It was a power trip to be immersed in the world and an even greater privilege to be invited into the most inner-circles of a borough's team and share in the collective triumphs and heartaches. This was where Cale found herself, as she stepped out of her Mustang and watched as people flocked to Dom and his crew, eager to get things started. She didn't join them, preferring instead to sit on the hood of her car and watch from a distance. Something in her ached as she watched the proceedings, and she couldn't help the look of longing that may have crossed her face.

She felt the car shift under the added weight of someone else joining her on her chosen perch. Out of the corner of her eye she could make out her friend Chris, and she smiled, giving him a sidelong glance. "Kinda makes you wish for the old days, huh?"

Chris chuckled. "Yeah. It was so much simpler then. We knew where we stood in Rockport and were proud of it. I hate having to hang back for fear of being recognized."

"You've changed in two and a half years, though."

"So have you, Cale. Even if your name had been dropped, I'm sure only those who knew Rockport would know you by sight."

"Ha, that's a laugh. We all know racers talk. And talk in the race world travels faster than a cheerleader's exploits under the bleachers in high school."

"A quarter-mile at a time and with the speed of a NOS-injected engine. Can't get any faster than that."

"Nope."

They lapsed into silence, just watching as bets were placed and racers threw their lots down for a chance to take on the great Dom Toretto. It was easy to find him in the press of bodies: he was in the very centre, with all eyes looking on him expectantly. For a brief instant his gaze found Cale's and she felt the corner of her mouth quirk up in a tiny smile. She was only partially surprised when he smiled back. The moment was interrupted as a Latino guy broke their line of sight. He held a walkie-talkie up to his ear.

"Who's officiating this," Cale asked.

"Some guy named Hector. Has his own team but doesn't race anymore. Word is he wants to go legit."

Cale nodded. "I guess he's tired of the heat. At least this way he won't be busted for street racing."

Chris snorted. "Of course not. He'll be busted for extortion or running a gambling ring or something. Or the IRS will catch up with his non-taxed income from these meets."

Cale chuckled. "Well, there's the signal. You need a ride to the venue?"

"Nah, I hitched a ride with Justin. He'll be looking for me."

"See you there then."

------

The Mustang filed in between Justin's Maxima and a BMW. Cale shared a polite nod with the driver of the BMW as they each got out and headed for the sidelines. The entire group flanked the course for the racers, blocking off all side streets and ensuring that everyone got a chance to see the action. Cale stood between her friends, as she watched the cars hit the line.

She scouted the crowd and found Mia. They waved at each other, and Cale had to grin at the other girl's enthusiasm. Cale let her eyes track the crowd. She inhaled sharply as she caught sight of someone she recognized, and grabbed Justin's arm.

"Cale?"

"Is that Butch down there, or am I seeing things?"

Justin shared a look with Chris and the two followed Cale's gaze. Chris leaned down and said, close to her ear, "Where, exactly, Cale?"

She nodded down towards the racers. "Behind Toretto's RX-7."

"I don't see anything," Justin said, squinting. "Are you sure?"

Cale took another look, but who ever it was she thought she saw, was gone. "Nothing. No. Never mind."

The boys shared another look before shrugging. They didn't have time to dwell on it, though, as the cars revved to life. Hector, from a spot above the start-line, raised his hand. The crowd feel silent, letting the sound of primed engines fill the street. The sound rebounded off the buildings, rising in a resounding crescendo that hit its peak as Hector's hand fell and the racers jumped off the line. The roar of the cars meshed with the roar of the crowd, leaving Cale's ears ringing as the dull, cascading echoes reverberated through her body.

As soon as the cars were out of sight, Cale scanned the crowd again, trying to shake that feeling of foreboding that had begun to tickle her midsection. She could have sworn she had seen Butch, the one responsible for all her ills, in the crowd up front, but he had disappeared like a phantom. She could only chalk the vision up to her paranoia at being recognized buy someone. Who else but Butch would find her here like this?

These thoughts didn't have time to take hold, as the hint of sound reached her ears, signalling the return of the racers. She turned her head to see the red RX-7 cross the line, its opponents far behind. Of course Dom had won. He always won. Once all four cars had crossed, Cale let the crowd sweep her forward into a circle around Toretto. As she neared the center of everyone's attention, she looked past him and stopped dead in her tracks.

The people surged around her, but she wouldn't budge. _Oh, no. Oh, fuck me..._

"Cale? What is your half-sister doing hanging off Butch's arm?" Justin asked close behind her. She was so stunned by the sight that she didn't even jump. All she could do was stare and blink.

The three friends watched as Lynn detached herself from Butch and sauntered up to Toretto. The blond woman who was Cale's half-sister leaned up to drop a kiss on Dom's cheek. The big man didn't seem to notice the gesture. Instead, he gave Lynn a polite smile, and put his hands around her waist so he could pick her up and move her out of his way. He was looking for someone else in the crowd, but seemed unable to find whomever it was.

Cale noted the slightly miffed look on Lynn's face and Butch's proprietary arm that went around her shoulder. Cale shook her head. "Clever girl..."

Chris finally looked down at Cale. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cale turned and headed back to their cars. "It means, boys, that my half-sister has found a new fad in the street racing circuit. She likes to immerse herself in whatever our dad is fighting against as a way to rebel, or something."

Justin raised a brow at that. "You're kidding?"

"Nope." Cale gave the boys a rueful smile. "Dad's currently assigned to defend a young woman whose child was hit by a street racer. She doesn't have enough cash to buy a lawyer, so she submitted the case to his firm and it crossed his desk."

"So, you're saying that Lynn has now decided to shack up with a street racer?"

Cale's chuckle was cold. "Oh, no, Jay. It's deeper than that. Lynn's world is all about status. She has to be at the top. And the top in this borough is..."

"...At Dominic Toretto's side."

"Precisely." Cale gave Chris and Justin another smile. She paused, key poised to unlock Mustang. "I have no idea what slime pit she fished Butch from, but he's merely her ticket into this place. Now that she's here, she'll stop at nothing to get to Dom."

Chris had to laugh. "Yes, well, Toretto didn't seem to pleased with her advances."

Cale merely winked at her friends. "I'll see you guys on Monday."

And with that, she climbed into her pony and headed back to Dom and Mia's.


	6. We Need to Talk

Dom had half an eye on Cale as he worked the crowd. He noticed her desire to stay away from the close huddle and found that just as odd as her cool, polite attitude towards him. He wasn't used to girls who didn't fawn over him and he had to admit, it was kind of nice. He frowned slightly as a guy joined her, but he didn't sit close enough for it to mean anything. A quick conference with Mia verified that as she helpfully told her brother the guy was a good friend of Cale's, nothing more.

And then, their eyes had locked and her lips had hinted at a smile. Dom had felt a slight tightness in his chest at that and he couldn't help but smile back at her. And then Hector had to fuck it up by blocking his view.

Dom didn't have a chance to find her again until after the race. He barely noticed the crowd, really, as he tried to look for Cale. He knew she was there. He had seen her as he drove up to the line before the race, standing with her friends. But now that it was all over she was nowhere to be found.

Hector demanded his attention and pressed Dom's winnings into his hand. Dom absently passed it off to Mia and then tried to turn around so he could search some more. That was when the gorgeous blond had sauntered up to him and gifted him with a kiss. Oh, she was definitely good-looking and those lips were certainly inviting...he would be stupid not to accept what they were so plainly offering...

To everyone's surprise, including his own, he merely lifted her out of his way and resumed looking for Cale. As he finally fought free of the crowd he caught a glimpse of Cale's Mustang as it turned down a side street.

------

Cale took her time driving back to Mia's so the team would have enough time to get there before her. There was, of course, the off chance that they'd run a couple more races, since the lack of sirens in the area meant that they were still unnoticed by the general public. Cale was willing to take that chance, and compensated by taking one of the more scenic routes back to the neighbourhood.

As she drove down the darkened street towards the illuminated house, she noticed someone get up from sitting on the top step and head towards the door. Whoever it was paused as she pulled up behind the Integra and looked back.

Cale blinked. _What the...? Was he waiting for me?_

She locked the car and headed up the lawn, giving Dom a curious look. "Too noisy in there for you, Toretto?"

"Something like that." He smiled at her. "Couldn't handle the crowd back there, Kincaid?"

_Bah! There he goes making me smile again,_ Cale sighed. "Something like that."

He pushed the door open for her, letting her enter first before following behind. The noise hardly bothered her, having experienced this crowd already. She nodded greetings to people and watched Vince pound out a few riffs on his guitar as she hovered in the entrance to the family room, looking for Mia.

Dom's hand bearing a bottle of Snapple appeared from over her shoulder, and she turned, accepting the drink. "Mia's waiting for you upstairs," he said, nodding in the general direction.

Cale had never been this close to him before and, while it was disconcerting, she could almost understand why so many girls wanted him. _No, damn it! He's an asshat just like all the other male racers. We don't like him!_

She wasn't sure who her internal monologue was supposed to convince, though, so she decided to beat a hasty retreat with a partial smile and a soft, "Thanks."

Cale ducked under Dom's arm and jogged up the stairs to join Mia in her room, where she sagged gratefully into a chair, much to her friend's amusement.

"He likes you," Mia said, without preamble. She was laying on her bed, book opened in front of her.

Cale snorted. "I'm sure."

Mia's smile widened. "And you like him."

"No, I don't. You're brother's not my type." She tried to hide the blush by turning away to grab her textbook. She flipped it open. "Where are we?"

Mia closed her own book and put her pen down. She regarded Cale carefully. "You know, I don't get you, Cale. We've been friends for a few months, now, and not once have you tried to hook my brother."

"I told you, Mia. He's not my type." Cale sighed and closed her own book.

"Liar."

Cale closed her eyes. She knew this would happen. She _knew_ it and still she let things get this far. "It's complicated, Mia."

"Try me."

"Can you keep a secret?"

Mia blinked at that. She got up and sat on the edge of her bed. She gave Cale a hard look. "I can if it doesn't endanger my brother or the team in any way."

Cale nodded. "I can appreciate that." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Listen, if you want me to leave after you hear what I have to say, I'll understand completely. Believe me when I say that I have done everything in my power to prevent this, and it'll only be natural for you to want me out of your lives for good."

"Cale, you're scaring me."

Cale smiled ruefully. "You don't know the half of it." With another deep breath, Cale plunged into her story. "See, a while back..."


	7. Making Plans

Mia had taken the story well enough that Cale was able to finish the weekend with the Toretto's without much incident. Once they were back at school, however, Mia pulled away from her friend and kept her distance.

Cale couldn't blame the girl for that reaction. What she had heard would certainly require a few days of hard thinking and solitude to make it all make sense. It would even give Mia the time to think up excuses if she decided that Cale posed a problem to Dom and his crew.

So, Cale spent the week much as she had before Mia had entered the picture. Justin, Mackenzie and Chris didn't ask questions, and Cale didn't offer information. Instead, they fell back upon their old camaraderie and pretended like nothing had happened.

Two glorious and street-race-free weeks passed and Cale found herself glad for the old anonymity. It was nice not having to worry about things. Lynn's advances in street racing were no longer Cale's concern, so she had turned a blind eye to the whole deal. Mia knew the score on that front, and could deal with it as she saw fit.

It wasn't until Cale and her friends returned to the Campbell mansion Saturday night that Cale decided some perverse street-racing god was demanding some sort of atonement for her sins. I was obvious that Lynn was hosting a party, which wasn't unusual, in and of itself. The blond usually threw parties when the mood struck her. What made this odd was the fact that all the guests sported tricked-out rides, if the parked cars in the driveway were any indication.

"Oh, fuckin' hell," Justin breathed, loud enough for Cale and Chris to hear. Mackenzie was blissfully ignorant of the others' exploits in street racing, but that was probably about to change. "I thought we were done with this lot for good."

They weaved through the people inside the house, noting happily that the majority of the revellers were in the backyard.

Cale gave her friends a sad smile. "You three head downstairs. I'll find out what's going on."

The sight that greeted Cale as she stood on the patio made her blood turn to ice. Not only was Lynn hosting a party, but she had also invited nearly the entire racing elite from L.A. With a cringe, Cale noted Butch's presence and she hastily ducked out of his line-of-sight. She noted Dom and his crew, and was a bit surprised to see Mia there. No one noticed her presence until Lynn grabbed Cale's shoulder and spun her around.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Lynn asked harshly.

"In case you forgot," Cale said, ignoring those now looking on. "I live here."

Lynn gave her a spiteful smile. "Yes, well, not tonight, you don't. Get out."

"Bite me," Cale said, smiling happily. It was at that point that an arm slid around Cale's shoulder.

"There a problem here, ladies?" Dom asked, looking at each of them.

Lynn's expression turned murderous as she stared at Cale. "No. No problem," Lynn said, her tone disturbingly calm.

"Good," Dom said, steering Cale away from her half-sister and back to his crew.

Giving the retreating couple a death-glare, Lynn turned on her heel and stormed off.

Jesse smirked at Cale. "So you, like, live here?"

Cale let Dom pull her down next to him as he resumed his seat. She smiled at Jesse. "Yeah. Unfortunately."

"Why unfortunately?" Jesse asked, genuinely puzzled. "I mean, if my dad had all this money, I'd go nuts trying to spend it all. Seriously, you know what you could put under a hood with the salary Bryn Campbell makes?"

The group smiled at Jesse's comment, some chuckling.

"Kid has a one-track mind," Dom said, amused.

Leon took a swig from his Corona. "Seriously, though. Jesse has a point. You playing Kincaid as an alias, or something, or what?"

Cale shook her head, uncomfortably aware that she had the team's attention now. "No. My mom was Madison Kincaid. She lived down near Rockport. My dad, Bryn Campbell, met my mom while he was an intern at one of the firms down there. They fell in love and were planning on getting married."

"They never did, did they?" Dom asked.

"No. The Campbells felt my mother wasn't the type of woman an up-and-coming lawyer should attach himself to, so they pressured him into marrying someone more suitable." Cale made a face. "My mom wanted him to stand up for himself and put his foot down, but he never did. He broke her heart, instead, and gave into his family."

They had nothing to say to that. Except Jesse, who asked, "So, if your mom thinks the guy is a dead-beat, how did you end up here?"

Letty punched Jesse in the arm. "Dummy."

"No, it's okay." Cale smiled sadly. "My mom told him about me when I was born, and he claimed responsibility of me without his family knowing. I was sixteen when my mom died and, since Bryn was my only living biological parent, he felt he owed it to my mom to take me in."

Dom gave Cale's shoulder a squeeze as she fell silent. With a sigh, she gently extricated herself from him and stood up. "You'll have to excuse me. My friends are waiting for me downstairs. You guys are welcome to join us if you get tired of the Princess's little soiree." And with that she headed back inside.

Cale began grabbing drinks from the fridge. As she was gathering snacks, a delicate cough caught her attention.

"Mia?"

"Cale."

Cale went back to gathering snacks. "How's it going?"

"Things're good." Mia watched Cale as the other girl moved about the kitchen. "Uh, listen. I was thinking," Mia said. She leaned against the fridge casually. "I think you should tell Dom."

Cale paused. "You haven't told him?"

"No. I mean, I was going to, but I thought it might be better coming from you."

Cale put everything down and gave Mia her full attention. "How the fuck do you propose I tell him? The man would decapitate me."

"This is what I've spent the last two weeks trying to figure out." Mia smiled sadly. "And really, it isn't as bad as you all seem to think. You have Marc to vouch for your integrity. And…you have mine."

Cale could only stare at the girl. "That still doesn't solve anything. It doesn't change the fact that Butch lied about something that never happened and was able to back it up with his hack-job on the car."

Mia waved a dismissive hand. "Pfft. Everyone knows Butch is a lying son of a bitch."

"Yeah, and even with that solid fact established Marc couldn't help me."

"I think I have a way. Race Wars."

"Okay, now you've cracked."

"No, listen. Everyone's going to be there. Including Marc. He and Dom talk a lot, as do all the top racers. So I have it on good authority that he'll be there. From what you told me, only Marc and his crew would know you by sight, so you enter the races and wait for Marc to approach you."

Cale thought about it. "My reception from Marc will dictate how the rest of it goes. If he's happy to see me, things'll blow over. If he isn't, I'm screwed."

"It's a hell of a gamble, I know. But you need to take it. If not for yourself, then for my brother."

Cale raid a brow at that and Mia laughed.

"Dom has not stopped bothering me about you. I wouldn't even give him your phone number."

"You're evil, Mia."

Mia grinned. "He needs to know, though."

"Agreed." Cale nodded. "Fine. I'll hit Race Wars. Just get me the invite and I'll be there."

"No problem." Mia pulled Cale into a tight hug before letting her go and going back outside. Cale sighed, grabbed the munchies and drinks and went downstairs to find Justin and Chris. They had work to do.


	8. Race Wars Part 1

The venue for Race Wars was an abandoned airfield out in the desert. It was the testing grounds for new racers as well as old, as nearly every crew from every borough came together for the weeklong extravaganza. The neutral ground was perfect for truly determining whom the better racer was, and no rivalries were allowed to pass through the gates. If you had a grudge against someone, you left it back on the streets.

Race Wars was also the place to wipe slates clean and bury old skeletons once and for all, as Cale had hoped to do. She and her friends kept a very low profile, knowing that the mystery would drive the entire plan. Of course, Cale spent more time trying to keep Mackenzie from flipping out, as she got her first, real glimpse at this underground world, than worrying about anything else.

"I can't believe you guys are involved in this. I mean, how...?"

Cale smiled at Justin and Chris and rolled her eyes. It was now Mac's fifteenth time through this speech, and it wasn't even 10am. With a shake of her head, Cale disappeared into their trailer.

---------

A few hours later, once things were in full swing, Dominic Toretto and Marc Davis walked the grounds, checking out the competition.

"Heard you had a good crew this year," Dom asked.

"Meh, good enough. Nothing near what I had a few years back."

Dom chuckled. "This is why I still have the same people on my team."

"Smart move. But you know I was forced to rebuild after Butch fucked me over with that Wild Force thing." Marc shook his head. "Nah. I know I'll never get as good as I had. Which is why I'm thinking of handing Rockport over to Razor."

"_Razor?_ Are you shitting me?" Dom gave Marc a look that suggested the other man was crazed.

"Yeah, Razor. Kid's a bit of work, but he's the only one good enough to take over. And hey, who knows, the fresh blood may revive us."

"Now I _know_ the sun's getting' to ya." Dom paused in mid-step to look at Marc. The other man had stopped and was watching a black and blue painted Mazda RX-8 drive to the line. "What's wrong, you know that car?"

Marc peered over his shoulder as he turned to rejoin Dom. "I don't know. That RX-8 looks awfully familiar. Almost like the one Wild Force used to race. I mean, the paint job's all wrong, but other than that, there's just something I can't put my finger on that's different..."

"Wild Force? That kid that caused you all those problems?"

"Oh, she never caused me problems. Kid was golden, I swear. Almost as good as you, if you can believe it."

Dom snorted. "Right, sure. Believe that when I see it."

Marc grinned. "No, seriously. I've never seen a chick race like that, and certainly not that young, either. I was an inch away from making her a part of my team when it came out she had fixed one of her races."

"I remember that. Butch claimed that Force fucked with his car, causing him to lose a big race to her."

Marc nodded. "Yeah. They were racing for slips. He had a Cayman S he was showing off one night. His lack of driving skills in such a beautiful car made Force cry, so she put her RX-8 up against it. She wanted to liberate from the hell that was Butch's ineptness. She won the car and took ownership. Shortly after, Butch began spreading the rumour she cut his oil-line, which is why he lost. No one recalls seeing an oil-slick at the start line, though, but because he started yelling about it so far after the fact, it didn't matter."

Dom nodded and they fell silent.

After a few moments, Marc continued. "No one would take her on for a race. If it were even hinted that she might be in the line-up, the other racers would back out. I had no choice but to toss her out of Rockport. I couldn't do anything to help her and it killed me."

Dom glanced over his shoulder, but a new pair of racers had rolled up. "You think she might be back?"

"I don't know. She dropped off the radar shortly after that. No one knows where she went."

They fell silent again, and continued their tour of the grounds. They parted at sundown with promises to meet up in the morning.


	9. Race Wars Part 2

The blue and black RX-8 was burning a hole in the competition, and Marc was really curious to see who the hell was driving her. The tinted windows were always rolled up, and only the guy signalling the race could see who was in there. It was currently waiting to drag against Razor, and Marc was hoping his boy could figure out what everyone could only guess at.

He gave Dom a smile as the man joined him on the sidelines. They said nothing, preferring to watch in silence. And then, to their surprise, the driver's side window was rolled down, but the angle prevented them from seeing in and they were too far away to hear whatever was said. After a few moments, it was rolled back up and both cars revved in anticipation.

And then they were off the line in a cloud of dust, and into the harsh light of the arid desert.

---------

As Cale pulled up to the line and noted whom she was racing against, she had to roll her eyes. She rolled her window down and glanced into the cockpit of the BMW M3.

"Fancy meeting you here, Razor," she called.

"Well, fuck me, if it isn't Wild Force Kincaid. Did you hear? I'm Marc's new favourite now. He'll be handing Rockport over to me in a few months."

"You don't say?" Cale said, surprised. "If that's true, then Marc's inhaled far too much carbon monoxide."

Razor scowled. "Seeing as how I know for a fact that you were nowhere near my car, why don't we make a little wager on this one?"

"Forget a wager. I'll _give_ you two-large to shut the fuck up."

"It'll take a lot more than that, I'm afraid. How about we put down five on this one, Force?" Razor flashed a wad of bills. "Think you can handle that?"

"Oh, I can handle it," Cale replied, flashing her own cash. With that, she rolled up her window, blotting out Razor's triumphant smirk.

The RX-8 revved nicely beneath her, and she focussed on the road ahead. Falling back into racing was like riding a bike, and Cale was happy to know her skills hadn't atrophied too much during her sabbatical. It had taken a few runs around a track for her to re-fuse with her ride, and it was nothing but relearning the ins-and-outs of how things worked on the inside of street racing.

With the handful of victories she had gained over the last day or so, this race with Razor felt good to her. She knew she could take him. Especially if he still raced they way he used to. As both cars jumped off the line, Cale paced herself slightly, knowing that Razor liked to make a show of the first hundred yards. She let him have that little ego-boost, and once he had enough rope to hang himself, she kicked it into gear and floored it.

When Razor hit his burst of spray, Cale had to smile. "Who the fuck doesn't upgrade to direct-injection NOS when they get the chance? Oh, right. You don't Razor. Loser."

Cale gave her baby a hit of NOS and in no time, she was passing Razor and crossing the line. The two cars came around the track and Razor blasted past her. Once they were back alongside the crowds, Razor spun the BMW to a stop and block Cale's path. This, of course, grabbed the crowd's attention, so they now had an audience.

She watched as Razor slammed his door shut as she calmly got out. They met each other halfway. At the forefront of the crowd were Dom and Marc. The look on Marc's face was a mix of recognition, surprise and..._yes!_...happiness. Dom's look was a bewildered one. _Suppose Jesse wasn't able to dig this particular piece of dirt up on me, then. Which means Marc did a **really** good job of keeping Wild Force anonymous. Oh well. Now he knows._ Cale smiled. Things were going as planned, so far.

"You think you can just show up out of nowhere after two years and retake your place in society, don't you?" Razor said furiously. "Well, let me tell you, Kincaid. Things have changed since you left, and when I take over Rockport I'll see to it that you stay out for good. You can bet on that."

Cale rolled her eyes. "You are an all-talk spaz, Razor. If you knew half as much about racing as you do about what you see in the mirror each morning, then maybe I could believe that. But trust me, if you wanna run your own outfit, then you can't be losing innocuous races like this. And _especially_ not to the likes of me."

With a sneer, Razor tossed the cash he owed Cale at her feet and turned on his heel. Cale noticed as Marc put a restraining hand on Dom's shoulder. The man looked like he was going to rip Razor's head off. Cale didn't blame him.

"How very mature of you," she said with a hint of indifference. She watched as Razor got back into his car, once more slamming the door shut. The car purred to life and he peeled off.

Once he was gone, Cale crouched to pick up the cash before she turned back to her own car. Marc's voice stopped her.

"Cale 'Wild Force' Kincaid," he said, with a chuckle. "I should have known."

Cale turned to watch him as he approached. They stood face-to-face. "It's been a while, Marc."

"Yes it has. See you changed the ride." He gestured to the car.

Cale shrugged. "Are you surprised, after what happened?"

"No, I suppose not." He gave her a paternal smile. "Well done, kiddo. Well done." He gave her shoulder an affectionate pat, and then walked past her, grinning. Cale turned to watch him go, her face blank.

"So you're Wild Force," Dom said behind her, as the crowd dispersed. Cale turned to him.

"Yes."

He nodded slowly, hands crossed over his chest. He regarded her a moment longer before he, too, turned, leaving Cale standing alone. She let out the breath she had been holding, and climbed back into her car.

_Coulda been worse, Kincaid. Coulda been worse,_ she mused as she turned around and headed back to her camp.


	10. Dom VS Cale Part 1

"Well, if nothing else, that whole Race Wars thing made them all want a crack at Wild Force Kincaid," Mackenzie said, highly amused.

"Sure," Cale replied. "If you don't mind giving up your Friday and Saturday nights so you can accommodate them."

It had been weeks since Race Wars, and Cale had had her pick of the competition. In a way it was good; it gave a slight boost to her income from her part-time job at the bookstore, but in a way it was bad, too. It left her precious little time over the weekends for schoolwork.

"Has Hector found a fourth racer? You know he won't run it with only three." Mac, bless her, had taken to the whole street racing thing quite well. She acted as Cale's unofficial agent.

"No, not yet," Cale said, navigating the side streets. "We'll show up and if he can't find someone else we'll propose a bunch of two-car races."

"Good call."

"Thanks," Cale said with a grin.

Normal protocol had been changed for these races. Instead of showing up for the showcasing of the cars, Cale just showed up at the venue and got in line. As much as she despised the continued paranoia, this helped keep the races honest and everyone went home happy. Cale knew it was only a matter of time before they let her back in completely.

As Cale pulled in, she and Mac climbed out. Mac scouted a place to watch on the side while Cale took a seat on her hood. She nodded to the other two racers, drivers of a Honda S2000 and a Mitsubishi 3000 respectively, who returned the gesture. There would be time for socializing later. Right now, there was a race to run.

Cale watched as Hector paced up and down the line, cell to his ear. She only caught snippets of the conversation, but from what she could tell he was trying hard to get a fourth racer on such short notice. Finally, he hung up. With a dejected sigh, he dialled one last number. This conversation was much shorter, but left the man smiling. He held up his hands for attention and then called out, "We have a fourth racer!"

Everyone cheered.

"'Bout bloody time, too," the driver of the S2000 muttered. Cale hid a grin at that. She concentrated on the upcoming race, knowing she only had a few minutes before whomever it was showed up.

And those few minutes didn't take long as the crowd parted to let the newcomer in. Cale glanced over her shoulder and swore loudly. The S2000 racer gave her an amused look. Cale pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut as the red RX-7 came to a stop and Dom slid part-way out the window to toss Hector the cash for the race.

She looked up and caught Dom's eye. She couldn't read the expression on his face, nor did she want to. Keeping her face neutral, she gave him a polite nod and slid off her car. She strapped in, knowing that the others had done so already, and three engines turned over to join the fourth.

Hector took his place over the start-line, raising his arm. All Cale could see was the road ahead and Hector's arm as it dropped. All four cars took off as one, but the two Mazdas pulled ahead quickly.

Cale didn't have to fight so much for second place with anyone other than Dom at this point. She didn't waste time sparing him a glance at any point, because she knew she'd blow it if she did. She had seen him race and knew his car, probably not as well as he did, but enough to know that if she wanted to win this, she would have to play it smart.

She wished she could see his face when she dropped in behind him, giving him the lead. She drifted into his wake, watching as he glanced into his rear-view mirror at her. She imagined he was slowly working her plan out in his head and his sudden acceleration confirmed that. Can't slingshot around someone when you aren't close enough behind them now, can you?

Yes, well, Cale had no intention of losing this race, so she kicked it up a notch to stay with him. Once she was under the slipstream, she eased off a bit and let him carry her. He made her fight for it, though, as he continued to vary his speed, always mindful of preventing a crash.

The finish line was fast approaching and if there was anytime to hit the NOS now would be it. As soon as the moment came, Dom did just that, lacing his engine with the chemical and driving his ride forward. At the same instant, Cale dodged the RX-7 and hit her own trigger. She floored it as her RX-8 sped to catch up with Toretto.

The two Mazdas drew even with each other, each giving or taking half an inch at any given time. As top speeds levelled out and the finish line was crossed, the two racers were met with stunned silence.

The race had ended in a tie.

Dom skidded into a stop, perpendicular to the roadway, driver's side facing the direction from which they had come. Cale did the same, only reversed, matching the cars driver-to-driver. The two slid out and stood, staring at each other, the tongue-tied crowd keeping their distance for once.

The seconds seemed to drag out, as everyone wondered what would happen next. Dom was about to step forward, say something, even, when something sinister broke the stillness first: police sirens.

Dom and Cale didn't bother to glance around, choosing instead to get back into their cars and speed off. Dom went one way, Cale went another, and soon, she lost sight of the street-racer as they each went down a different route.

Cale had enough of a lead on the cops that she cut her lights, ducked down a sleepy neighbourhood, and picked a random driveway. As quickly and as quietly as she could, she changed the plates on her car, and added a few vinyl patches to mess up the colour scheme a bit. Soon, she was pulling out and heading back into the main streets.


	11. Dom VS Cale Part 2

Toretto, on the other hand, took an extra moment to make sure someone had his sister and that his team was all off before he himself made a run for it. A few quick turns and he managed to get his car stashed. He locked his baby up and threw his jacket on to hit the streets on foot, keeping his eyes open for a cab.

He kept his head down as a couple of cruisers went across the intersection he was nearing, but he was too far away for them to notice. As he got close, he slowed his pace and peeks around the corner. One cruiser had parked a few meters down, his lights off. He didn't fool Dom, however, and the racer ducked back before they could see him. He leaned up against the building and weighed his options. He could go back and grab his car and make a run for it, or he could chance it and cross the street.

Either way, he needed to make a decision fast, because the shrill echo of another siren heralded another cop coming his way. He could see the pulse of the lights bouncing off the buildings in the direction he wanted to go. So, that option was now closed to him. There was nothing to do but duck out of sight and head for his car once the way was clear.

Being careful not to draw too much attention to himself, he doubled back and headed for his baby. He had taken only a few steps when he caught a car making a sedate left-hand turn onto his street. He felt his heart jump into his throat, and he chanced a better look.

A Mazda RX-8 pulled into the curb lane and slowed to match his speed. A look inside the window was enough to convince him to get in, which he did gratefully. Cale took her time getting to the end of the street before making another turn.

They were both starting to breathe easy when another cruiser picked them up. "Shit," Cale muttered. "One of them must have tagged me before I got away from the venue. Hold on. This is going to be unpleasant."

Dom strapped his seatbelt on. "How unpleasant?"

"Drift-race unpleasant."

"Fuck." He grabbed onto something solid and did as she suggested.

They had three cruisers on them in an instant, and Cale decided that a bit of speeding would be in order. She skidded around a few turns, heading for the coast.

"You realize they've called your plates in by now, right?"

"Changed'em as soon as I could."

"...You carry spare plates around with you?"

"And you don't?" Cale spared him an amused glance. "This would be why they want you so bad, Dom. They have you in their system. Me? Not so much. This plate is linked to a false vehicle, the information on which Chris and I change every so often so they don't get smart."

"You scare me." The words were punctuated by Cale power sliding into a nasty ninety-degree turn.

"Good. Now shut up so I can drive, Toretto, or we're both going to be booked tonight."

Dom watched as Cale skilfully navigated the streets, using each turn as a way to get a little further ahead of the cops. As soon as they were several turns behind, she ducked down a small dirt path and, after a few moments, backed into a dark alcove, parking two car-lengths back from the entrance. She cut the engine and the lights, and released her seatbelt. She sank back in her seat, letting out a loud sigh.

Dom followed her lead and let the seatbelt snap back into place. He shifted a bit so he could watch her. The silence was beginning to get uncomfortable, and Cale looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You're allowed to talk now, Dom, seeing as how I'm no longer trying to save our asses."

"Did you really fuck with Butch's car?"

"Oh, for the love of...NO!" Cale said. "Butch has no idea how to handle a car. Do you honestly think that someone who very nearly beat _you_ would need to cheat? Just because he pushed his car over the limit, nearly red-lined and spun out, he felt the need to sooth his ego by lying about it. So he had one of his boys cut his oil-line and started telling folks that his car was being repaired due to the damage my 'tampering' had caused him."

Dom nodded. "That's what Marc said."

"Yeah, Marc's a smart guy," she snapped. Silence descended once more.

After a while, Dom said, quietly, "Mia still won't give me your phone number. Neither will Jesse, for that matter."

Cale couldn't help but crack a smile at that. "And what would you need my phone number for?"

"If I had it, I would have called you after we got back from the desert so we could straighten this out then. But you went and disappeared on everyone again."

"I was busy kicking peoples' asses on the streets."

"So I've noticed. You..." he trailed off as Cale held up a hand. It was then they heard the voices.

"Damn," she whispered. "The five-oh must have seen our tire-marks on the cut-off. Why they didn't just drive a cruiser down here and shut us in I don't know..." Cale looked around frantically.

"Can't we just duck down?"

"No, that will just force them to come in and inspect the car close-up. From out there, a cursory glance will show them it's just a car with two people sitting in it. ...But they'll recognize you. Shit..." She looked up at Dom as the first flashlight beam bounced off an interior wall. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me. Now. Quickly."

"Cale, how is that...?" He didn't have time to finish as Cale leaned over and grabbed his shirt by the collar. And then her lips were pressing against his, her hand resting gently on his cheek, shielding his profile from prying eyes.

Through the cracks of her fingers, he could see the light brush over them. He heard the faint words of _nah, just some kids making out. They still have their clothes on, no need to bust'em up._ And then the prying light was gone.

It had taken seconds, but in those seconds, the startled and forced kiss had softened into something deeper, something more genuine. Dom couldn't help it as his hands reached out and lifted Cale over the shift and into his lap. She straddled him easily, her hands resting on his shoulders. With a free hand, he reached down and reclined the seat as far as it would go and his arms wrapped around her body. They held the embrace for a long, long time, taking the opportunity to thoroughly explore the other's mouth.

Finally, the kiss broke, and Dom cupped her chin, letting his thumb run over her lips gently. Their eyes played over the other's face, and Dom smiled. "I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't. You're not my type."

"Ah. So you just kissed me to save our asses."

"Yes." Cale smiled.

"Good to know," Dom said with a smirk. "That you don't like me, I mean."

"I suppose it is."

"Kiss me, Cale."

"Gladly."


	12. Aftermath

A couple of hours later, Dom and Cale walked hand-in-hand into the party at Toretto's. Dom bapped Vince and Leon on the head for not making more of an effort to find him before handing Cale a bottle of Snapple and, with a kiss, he sent her upstairs to Mia. He fell back onto the couch and scrubbed his hands over his eyes. He looked up as someone handed him a Corona and saw Vince watching him.

"This is twice, now, that someone other than you has saved my neck from the cops after a race," Dom said, leaning forward. The room went quiet at that. "So, is she a cop too, or do I get to kick your ass from here to eternity for not coming to find me?"

Vince regarded Dom for a long while before he turned to look up at the ceiling, as if trying to catch a glimpse of the girl in question. Slowly, he shook his head. "She ain't no cop, Dom." Vince looked back at his long-time friend. "But that don't mean I like her. Watch your back."

"Watch my back," he said, with a wry chuckle. He leaned back in his seat. "Seems I have no choice, since I can't trust you to do it." He took a swig from his bottle, and then took the offered game controller from Jesse.

After a few moments, the silence was broken and the party resumed as if nothing had happened.

---------

Upstairs, Cale found herself dragged into Mia's room. Her friend was beaming.

"So?" Mia asked. "What happened?"

Cale sat down in her usual spot and gave Mia a bemused look. She shrugged. "Dom and I tied, the cops came and we scattered."

"Yeah...and?"

"And nothing," Cale said, shifting and pushing hair behind her ear. "Found your brother skulking in the shadows trying to get around the cops, and gave him a lift home."

Mia stared at Cale. "Jesus, Dom's gonna be pissed," she said, closing her eyes briefly.

"Why?"

Mia sighed. "Let's just say that this isn't the first time that Vince and Leon have left Dom out to dry when it comes to the cops. It's a sore point with my brother. Anyway, if that's all that happened, how come it took you so long to get back here?" Mia's eyes were shining with amusement now.

Cale shifted again. "Cops recognized my car and chased us down to the coast. I managed to lose them and pulled into a nice little hiding spot I found a while back, which I've been saving for a rainy day."

"And tonight it poured."

"Yep."

"So then what happened?"

"We...talked."

Mia gave her an incredulous look. "You talked."

"We cleared up some stuff." Cale paused. "Race-related stuff, mostly."

"I see."

"Of course, the cops decided to come down on foot to investigate my hidey-hole. I knew we couldn't just duck down or they'd come closer to investigate, recognize the car and find us inside. And we couldn't just sit there, cause they'd recognize Dom. We needed a cover, of sorts. So I...uh, well, I kissed him." Cale's words were met with a blanks stare. She raised a brow. "Mia? You okay?"

"You kissed my brother to save him from the cops," Mia stated quietly.

"Yes." Cale nodded slowly. "Yes, I did."

Something seemed to click in Mia's head. "So, what you're saying is that you spent the last few hours making out with my brother."

"Pretty much."

"And you still don't like him?"

"Nope."

They fell silent and caught each other's gaze, before erupting into laughter.

---------

"All right, let's see what you have in this thing," Jesse said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. He had Cale's RX-8 in the garage, and was practically salivating with anticipation. Cale stood on the sidelines, watching in amusement. She had never seen anyone as excited as Jesse.

Dom was working on a client's car, watching them out of the corner of his eye. He was curious to see what his girl had under the hood of that car, too, but was too professional to say anything. He left that to Jesse and kept an ear on the conversation.

"You have some pretty standard stuff in here, Kincaid," Jesse's voice filtered out from under the hood. "Could use a bit of upgrades in some areas, but...you have the tried and true."

"I know, Jesse. But I pay my own way and those shiny new parts have to be prioritized and then earned. Right now? I'm good with what I got. Why mess with what works, eh?"

Dom snorted. "Jesse, put her in for a complete over-haul. Tried and true may work, but it doesn't get you ahead."

Cale sighed. "It's really not necessary, Dom."

Dom stood and pointed at Cale with a wrench. "I won't have my girl racing in anything less than the best." The wrench shifted its focus to Jesse. "You make a list of parts for that thing and then order them from Harry." And then he was back at his work.

Cale glared at the back of Dom's head, turning with a frown only when Jesse chuckled.

"It's useless to argue with him, Cale," he said, peeking at her from his hiding spot. "He always wins."

That got an indistinct grunt from Dom, causing Jesse to laugh harder. His mirth was cut off abruptly, and a low, impressed whistle took its place.

"Holy shit. Not only does she have direct-port injection, but she also has a really tiny dry-shot line running parallel..."

Dom was at Jesse's side in a heartbeat. After a second or two, both racers looked at Cale. Dom raised a brow. "Care to explain your double shot of NOS?"

Cale leaned back against the workbench, and crossed her arms over her chest. She languidly inspected a fingernail. She looked up as Dom's shadow fell upon her, and she was suddenly toe-to-toe with the man. His lips pressed against hers teasingly, pulling away abruptly as she began kissing him back.

"Tell me," he whispered.

"My back end gets swishy," she answered softly. "My car's geared for drift-racing. Back tires have enough traction to keep me on the road, but if I'm below speed or if I misjudge my recovery coming out of a corner my back end slips. I have a tiny trigger on the steering wheel near my index-finger."

Behind them, Jesse was nodding again, poking around the NOS set-up. "Gives you that extra boost without the insane speeds. Useful for your every-day stabilizing purposes. Absolutely ingenious..."

He was so focussed on the car that he didn't even notice the lack of a reply from Cale as Dom gave her a deep, searching kiss. It broke gently, each trying to steal one last taste of the other, before Dom dropped a peck on Cale's nose and headed back to his job.

Cale watched him for a moment before she felt someone staring at her. Vince stood in the doorway to the garage, giving her a hard, tense look. She raised a questioning brow and he turned and walked away.


	13. Caught in The act

Cale wasn't racing tonight, so she was allowed to show up early, although she played passenger to Dom, instead of driving. It was the only way she could think of to minimize the risk of being challenged and having some sort of fight break out because of it.

"You're insane, you know?" Dom said.

"Dom, I'm sure you know what it's like to have someone who's been black-balled around. It's the only way to keep the peace."

Dom snorted with a shake of his head. "You're with _me_, Cale. Nobody is going to mess with you."

Cale rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Sure."

The rest of the trip was made in silence. They'd find out the validity of Dom's statement soon enough.

----------

"Well, well," Butch said coming up behind Cale as she worked the crowd, looking for Chris. "If it ain't _Wild Force_." He spat the name out as if it were a curse.

"Piss off, Butch," Cale replied with barely a glance over her shoulder. "Don't you have a race to prep for?"

"Oh, I do, but talking to you is more fun. Say, how'd you get that nickname, anyway, huh? Some guy give it to you after he fucked you senseless? Or maybe you went on a bender and did a lot of naughty things?"

"Fuck off."

"Ooh, the little girl has a mouth on her," Butch said with a chuckle. By now, Cale had stopped and a crowd had begun to gather. She turned and faced the man, a scowl firmly in place.

"I _said_ fuck off."

Butch merely grinned. "Hey, you know your sister is quite a piece of ass. You take after her any, or what?" He said, making a move to grab her. Cale side-stepped neatly, which caused Butch to grin wider. "Oh, look. The ickle kitty is playing hard to get. C'mon, baby. You know you wanna give it to m-"

Butch never finished the sentence, as a fist connected with his jaw and Dom stepped between them. "I believe the lady told you to fuck off."

Butch glared at Dom. "Stuff it, Toretto; this is between me and the pop-tart, here."

"I'm sorry, what did you just call my girl?"

"I called her tart; a _whore_, if you will."

Cale barely noticed as Dom lunged at Butch and the two started fighting, for as soon as the two were engaged, she noticed two of Butch's boys break off from the main group and head towards the parked cars.

_All right Max, what are you and your friend up to that needs a diversion like this one, huh?_ She weaved through the crowd and followed the pair, glancing back at the commotion only once as the noise died away behind her. By the time she reached them, it was too late...

"What the fuck are you doing to Dom's car?" she asked. The hood was propped open and the two were hunched over the engine. Her question startled them, but not enough for Cale's liking. This felt very wrong.

"Oh, hey Cale. Just giving your new boyfriend a tune-up, free of charge," Max said sweetly, stepping away from the car and dropping the hood.

"Like hell you are," she said, taking a step closer. "You don't need cutters...oh, you fuckers. You cut his oil line, didn't you?"

They started to snicker, but sobered quickly as they noticed something behind her. "Heh," Max said. "You're right, cutters ain't needed for tune-ups. Hold these will you?" He threw the tool at her and she snatched it out of the air automatically.

Cale didn't have time to protest before they disappeared into the line of cars, nor did she have time to dispose of the cutters before someone snorted in disgust behind her. She closed her eyes and swallowed thickly, her gut turning to ice. She turned to face the newcomer slowly, trying to hide the tool behind her. It was no use. Vince saw them and came closer.

"Well, well," Vince said, his lips turned in a cruel smile. "What are you doing all the way over here by yourself, Cale? Babysittin' Dom's car? And what're those? Oh no. No, no. You messing with Dom's ride?"

He gave her a nasty look as he stepped around her and popped open then RX-8's hood.

"Oh, you little fuckin' sneak," he said quietly. He looked up and his eyes met Dom's, as the racer finally joined them. "Dom, your girl's a lying bitch."

Dom gave Cale a questioning look, as he noted the cutters clutched in her hands and stopped at Vince's side. His look turned hard as he noticed the damage, putting two and two together.

"Dom, I swear I didn't. You have to believe me!" Cale protested. "I just followed Max and his buddy and found them here..."

"I just kicked someone's ass because he called _you_ a whore," Dom said, his voice soft, yet deadly. "More importantly, I _trusted_ you. I _believed_ you when you said you didn't mess Butch up. But now, you're caught in the act and have the nerve to look me in the eye and tell me you didn't fuck with my ride?"

"Dom, I didn't do it!" Cale cried, finally letting the tool clatter to the ground as she walked up to the racer and put a hand on his arm. Cale stood against the murderous look for a moment before her own look hardened.

The two stood staring each other down for a long moment. The crowd that had followed Dom was silent, as everyone tried to inch closer to hear the verdict against Cale. Dom visibly relaxed a bit, and said softly, "Cale, go home."

She regarded him a moment more, before nodding, not placated in the least. "Fine," she whispered, letting go of the man's arm and turning on her heel. She walked through the silent crowd, which parted before her, and headed off into the night.


	14. The Deal

Cale sat stretched across the top step of Dom's porch, leaning back against the railing. Her mind was blissfully blank, and she really didn't want to be dwelling on what might happen now. She had gambled big-time, banking on Marc's feelings towards her despite the scandal that had shaken Rockport and ruined her career. For the same thing to happen again when things were starting to go right once more...Cale couldn't take it. Letting Mia draw her into a friendship that had to end in heartbreak and mistrust was something Cale was beginning to regret.

She had no idea how much time had gone by since she had left Dom and the crowd behind, and she didn't care. She just wanted this whole thing to be over. As she was reaching the point where one would normally bury his or her head in their hands, the faint roar of a car engine filtered down the sleepy street. She could see the headlights in the distance and an orange Supra was soon pulling into the driveway.

Dom stuck his head out the window and called to her, "Get in."

Cale pushed herself up off the porch and wandered to the passenger-side. Once she was in, Dom was pulling back out and heading back down the street.

"Tell me," he said simply, eyes never leaving the road.

"I told you. Just as you jumped Butch, Max and another of Butch's group broke off and headed back to the cars. I followed them, but by the time I caught up with them it was too late. They had cut your oil line and were giving me lip when I called them on it. Then they saw Vince coming over, tossed me the cutter and took off. Vince discovered the cut line and saw me standing there with the tool. You know the rest."

Dom nodded, but said nothing. They rode in silence for a very long while, and Cale tried not to fidget. Instead, she let her eyes wander over the interior of the Supra, taking in what details she could from the intermittent light from the street lamps.

"Nice ride," she commented, unable to take the silence any longer.

"It was a gift from someone who tried to fuck me over but thought better of it."

Cale gave Dom a side-long glance. "Don't tell me I owe you a car, now?"

"No. You owe me an end to all this bullshit."

Cale stared at him, slack-jawed. "I'm sorry, what?"

Cale got no answer from the street-racer. Instead, her answer came from the Supra, as she glided in for a landing and the engine was shut off. It was then that Cale realized that they were in downtown Rockport, and a crowd had gathered along the sidelines. There, parked on the line was a red Viper and Cale's RX-8. The hoods of both vehicles were open, and Cale could make out Jesse's form hunched over the Viper's engine block.

As she climbed out of the Supra, she watched as Jesse moved on to the RX-8, noting Leon and Vince keeping everyone away from both vehicles. Once Jesse was done, Marc detached from the crowd and came over to inspect them. She and Dom were joined by Butch at the line, followed by Marc and Jesse. After a brief conference between Dom, Jesse and Marc, Marc detached from the group and looked between Butch and Cale as Dom and Jesse stepped back.

"Both Jesse and I have examined your cars. Both are in good working order and free of any illegal modifications. This is going to be a sprint, with the exception of start and finish being this line right here. I'm sure you know which runs we're combining by where we are." After both Cale and Butch nodded, Marc continued. "This race is for rep. Cale wins, she's vindicated and all sins are forgotten by everyone. Butch wins, Cale returns the Cayman S and walks for good,no more second chances. Agreed?"

Cale blinked. _Holy fuck, I'm not ready for this!_ "Agreed."

Butch nodded. "Agreed."

"Good. Shake on it."

Cale gripped Butch's hand. She suddenly had a revelation and grinned wickedly. "I say we up the ante, actually."

Butch regarded her coolly. "Yeah. Yeah, I like that idea. Whaddya say we toss twenty-grand on top this deal, eh?"

Cale raised a brow. "Not exactly what I had in mind, but sure. I'm good for twenty."

That remark got her a side-long glance as her opponent anted up with Marc and Chris appeared at her side with the cash. "And what did you have in mind?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah. Lay it on me Kincaid. I can take it."

She gave Butch a searching look. She nodded slowly and pulled out her cell phone. She saw a slow smile spread on Marc's face and the man turned away to get in place to start the race. Butch, on the other hand, was watching her curiously as she dialled, his look slowly turning into one of shock as she spoke.

"Hi, Rockport PD? Yeah, I just passed a group of kids at Main and Fifth who looked like they were getting ready to street-race. You better get down here right away!"

As the call proceeded, Cale slowly backed towards her car, so that by the time she had hung up, she had the door open and was strapping in.

She let herself enjoy Butch's ashen face and his look of rage for a mere second before she settled into her car and waited for the signal.


	15. Butch VS Cale

**a/n: **sorry for sitting on this for so long. I had it posted to my LJ back in Oct'06 but never actually tossed it up here.

* * *

The crowd had dissolved with the squeal of tires and the first stretch of the race was a heated battle between the RX-8 and the Viper. The RX-8 fought hard to stay on course, as the Viper fought equally hard to run its opponent off. The first turn onto Main nearly saw both cars against the wall in a nasty collision, as Butch's overenthusiastic attempts at derailing Cale caused them both to lose control.

In Cale's experience, it was easier not to fight the car, letting the momentum to carry her around the bend until her angle was right. She feathered the dry-shot, which allowed the RX-8 to jump ahead before the Viper pinned it against the wall and ending the race there and then. Both driver and car ignored the scrape of metal on concrete that signalled Butch's ride slamming into and skidding around the rest of the corner, concentrating instead on the line they now had out of the turn and into the next section of the run.

The sound of police sirens were faint, but Cale knew that they would be getting louder any second; they were coming up on the Main-and-Fifth junction that would angle them further away from the finish.

_Okay, normal run dictates a right at Main and Fifth, but we need to get to the Camden cut-off, which is straight through, but faster on the left. What're the odds that Butch'll go left?_

Cale had to bank on the fact that Butch's reaction-time, Viper or not, would be a little slower. Not to mention the man had a slightly faster ride than she did. If she had the choice of only one short-cut – and there were many to be had on this cobbled-together route – it would be this one.

"Okay, Kincaid. You never fight the track, but all the other short-cuts are harder to anticipate, and some will even put you further behind. For what it's worth, we'll take this one."

Mind made up, she kicked it into gear and raced towards the awaiting challenge of Rockport's finest. In the very far distance, she could see the splatter of light that flashed the presence of cruisers. Her rear-view told her that Butch had managed to keep pace with her and was now itching to get in front of her.

"All right, man. They only send two cruisers to investigate possible street-racing claims. You want them both? I'll give you both." And with that, she swerved out of the other man's way and downshifted, smiling to herself at Butch's smirk as he blasted past her. She watched him carefully as he entered and exited the intersection, going straight through. A split second later, the sirens came to life and the two cruisers were off after the Viper.

Getting back up to speed, she crossed the line and power-slid into the intersection, angling for the left onto Fifth. As she came around, a third cruiser came to life, and Cale swore under her breath.

"Oh, you sneaky bastards. Okay. No problem. You want me, copper? Come get me." The RX-8 shot forward down Fifth as the cruiser filed in behind, steadily losing ground to the modified vehicle. She only had two shots of NOS to play with, and she hated the idea of wasting one here and now on one pathetic cruiser. "C'mon, baby. Gimmie a bit more speed. We just have to lose him around the next bend, and then take that sharp right-left onto the side-streets."

The RX-8 glided around the next corner and squealed around the next two. It shot through the side-street and peeled back onto the main strip. A glance in her mirror told her she had lost the cop. She followed the strip to the designated turnoff and hit the next section of the run.

Her progress was interrupted, however, as she slammed on the brakes and came screeching to a halt at the next intersection. The police sirens were very loud and she didn't have long to wait for the red Viper to streak past her, followed by all three cruisers. She sat and blinked at that for a moment.

"Oh, fuck. This is _not_ good." The RX-8 jumped back into motion as Cale tried not to redline. She had to end this race as fast as possible.


End file.
